DISTED COLLEGE NEWS
5 February 2010

Festive charity from the oven and heart

DISTED College students are ushering in the Chinese lunar Year of the Tiger with high spirits for community care and a big heart for the elderly. 

The college’s Student Representative Council (SRC) has galvanized the support of students of various races in the vigour of 1Malaysia to bring festive cheer to residents of the Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged.

Mixing dough for the goodwill Chinese New Year peanut cookies at the DISTED bakery kitchen are (from right) Tan Chooi Wen, Yeoh Hooi Sun, Student Representative Council president Amy Lim Hui Ying, Cheok Huey Ing, Lim Shiao Chiin and Goh Kim Yan.

“Apart from giving the home a donation, we’d like to share with the old folks a taste of heart-felt warmth and glad tidings from the DISTED community through our self-made peanut cookies,” said SRC president Amy Lim Hui Ying. 

“By baking the cookies ourselves, it makes our gift more meaningful, symbolising care from the heart. It also enhances the joy of giving and adds thrill to our festive celebration,” she said. 

“The donation and the cost of making 10kg of Chinese New Year peanut cookies are funded from contributions by the college students and staff, and proceeds from our cup cake sale and steamboat dinner project,” said Amy, who is pursuing the Staffordshire University business degree course. 

“We’re most thankful to all the students who have worked hard to raise the funds and are participating in this hands-on cookies baking project,” she added. 

The students showing the made-in-DISTED Chinese New Year peanut cookies which are their 'gift from the heart' for the Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged residents. With them is DISTED student affairs officer Tony Toh Chi Eng (third from left).

Having hands-on experience in baking cookies for a good cause are (clockwise) Ng Chian Chung, Janice Goh, Oui Peichia, Haruki Shindo, Mandy Chee Yit Chen, Ho Hui Wern, Chuah Pea Ching and Xander Ng.

The students gathered at the college’s training bakery kitchen on 5 February 2010 to bake the cookies, with the help of hospitality students. 

“It’s great. It’s fun too to help out in this good deed project,” said hospitality student Darren Wong. 

“This charity is not just about sharing festive cheer but also, appreciation and respect for the elderly,” he said, adding that his task was to control the oven to ensure that the cookies were properly baked.

Hospitality students (from right) Darren Wong and Ooi Soo Fong helping out in baking the cookies. Looking on is Student Representative Council senior vice-president Dicky Lim Wei Ming.

Japanese national Haruki Shindo, a Cambridge A-Level student, said: “Besides helping out for a good cause, I’m having fun too as this is my first-time experience in baking.” 

“It’s exciting to pick up culinary tips from my friends while fostering closer rapport with them,” he said. 

“This charity do will also enrich my experience of the Chinese New Year festivity,” said Haruki, whose father is a general manager of an electronics firm in Penang.

Fostering team spirit in the Chinese New Year peanut cookies baking project are (from left) Haruki Shindo, Nurfayiza Mohd. Ismail and Amely Khoo May Yee.